1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sustainable closed loop system with zero waste for cogeneration of electric and thermal energy using woodfuel from an energy plantation of quick growing trees.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Transportation costs are a critical factor in the use of wood as fuel because it is bulky for the amount of heat generated. Distances must therefore be kept low to make wood economically attractive as a fuel source. Hence the use of wood as a fuel for the cogeneration of electric and thermal energy has been limited to the forest industries. Mechanical wood processing has the potential to produce both a surplus of heat and electricity and can support other energy deficient conversion processes in an integrated complex, producing, for example, lumber, plywood and particle board or, in rural areas, to supplying energy for the needs of the surrounding community.
While the forest industry has demonstrated that the cogeneration of heat and electricity is possible with wood, there is presently insufficient woodfuel available for it be the other than a very, very minor source of heat and power. Wood is a renewable energy source and therefore attractive but has not been economically competitive with coal, gas and oil except in rare instances.
Prior art power plants do not have zero waste operation and use chemicals for water treatment.